Bobby Bowden: Howard Schnellenberger showed us how it was done

"I was wondering when it was going to happen," the former Florida State coaching great said with a chuckle after being told of the impending retirement of Howard Schnellenberger. "You talk about Joe Paterno and me being up there but Schnellenberger is getting up there too."

At 77, Schnellenberger is a pup compared to the 81-year-old Bowden or the 84-year-old Paterno. However, it looks as if only JoePa will continue his coaching career after this season. According to university sources with knowledge of the situation, Schnellenberger will announce that he is stepping down from the program at the end of this season during a 4 p.m. news conference today.

Bowden, who spent 34 seasons coaching the Seminoles, remembers fondly the battles that he had with the legendary coach.

"He's a great coach," Bowden said. "I thought in the 57 years that I've coached, he was one of the best I've ever played against. His teams were hard to beat."

In the five seasons that Schnellenberger was coach at the University of Miami, Bowden was 2-3 against him including the 1983 season when the Hurricanes won its first national championship. The following season, Schnellenberger walked away from Miami, talking an ill-fated shot at the USFL.

"He's a builder no doubt about it," Bowden said. "But I've always felt that if he had stayed at Miami he would have had five, six, even seven national championships."

"He's the one that showed Florida State and Florida that you could do it down here."

"He kind of set the pace there, and since that time, there's been nine more national championships in the state of Florida. Three from Gainesville, two from us, and five from Miami."

Regardless of the record, Bowden knows the when the final whistle is blown on this season, the game of college football will miss one of its greatest assets.

"He's had a great career and I'm sure we will miss him."

mmurschel@tribune.com. Read his blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/collegegridiron365.